{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36855/photo/zoom_J03323.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eGerman New Guinea\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003eCapture of German New Guinea - Australian Naval \u0026amp; Military Expeditionary Force (AN\u0026amp;MEF) 1914-15\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eShortly after Britain declared war against Germany on 4 August 1914 , \u003ca href=\"http://www.britannica.com/biography/Sir-Edward-Grey-3rd-Baronet\"\u003eSir Edward Grey\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.britannica.com)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e made his now famous statement, ‘\u003cem\u003eThe lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.\u003c/em\u003e’[i]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThat evening during a trade union meeting held at Colac, Victoria, Australia’s leader of the Opposition, \u003ca href=\"http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/fisher/fast-facts.aspx\"\u003eAndrew Fisher\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (primeministers.naa.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e told the audience that Australians would stand behind the mother country and if necessary defend her ‘\u003cem\u003eto our last man and our last shilling’.\u003c/em\u003e [ii]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eOn 7 August the British War Office requested that Australia seize the German colonies in Nauru, the Caroline Islands and New Guinea. The primary reason for this request was to prevent enemy wireless stations from passing information to the German East Asiatic Squadron of the Imperial German Navy.\u003c/em\u003e’ [iii]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eOn 11 August, His Majesty’s Australian Ships \u003cem\u003eParramatta\u003c/em\u003e,  \u003cem\u003eWarrego\u003c/em\u003e and  \u003cem\u003eYarra\u003c/em\u003e, all destroyers, under cover of the light cruiser HMAS \u003cem\u003eSydney\u003c/em\u003e prepared to attack the enemy ships at anchorage but arrived only to find they had gone; Admiral von Spee had ordered them to sea. In order to destroy the wireless station, the navy landed parties of men at Rabaul and Herbertshöhe[1] but when they learned their objective was well inland it became obvious that an expeditionary force would be needed. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eRecruiting for the Australian Imperial Force[2] (AIF) commenced on 10 August 1914, and a day later began for a much smaller Australian force whose important achievements would be almost lost in the shadow of the AIF. As a direct result of the Boer War experience and the Universal Training Scheme, Colonel William \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/57941\"\u003eHolmes \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/57941)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDSO, VD, and his staff were able to train, equip, and embark the AN\u0026amp;MEF (Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force) in less than 10 days.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e‘The eighty men forming the South Australian quota of the Australian naval expeditionary force left Adelaide on Saturday for Williamstown, Victoria. The majority of the men are ex-reservists, a large proportion being Imperial navy reservists.’[iv]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eTasked with the capture of all German possessions in the southern Pacific, the AN\u0026amp;MEF consisting of 500 men in six companies of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, a 1,000-strong infantry battalion, two machine-gun sections, a signals section, and a medical section, steamed out of Sydney Harbour on 19 August 1914; a north Queensland militia battalion joined them at Port Moresby. Of the 500 Navy men, 200 were from New South Wales, 100 from Victoria, 120 from Queensland and 80 from South Australia.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eOn 19 August, the same day as the AN\u0026amp;MEF left Sydney Harbour, the \u003ca href=\"/explore/campaigns/57\"\u003eMorphettville Camp\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/campaigns/57)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e was opened in South Australia, and the first 200 men recruited for the 10th Battalion were sworn in.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThat day in Turkey, German warships, \u003cem\u003eGoeben\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eBreslau\u003c/em\u003e, entered the Dardanelles and threatened to sink the French steamer, Saghalien. ‘The captain of the latter induced the Turkish authorities to convoy the vessel with a destroyer to the open sea, placing the Deputy Governor of the Dardanelles on board as a guarantee.’[v]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eDuring a ceremony to bid farewell to the First Foot Guards at Potsdam, on 19 August the Kaiser drew his sword and cried, \"\u003cem\u003eI have drawn the sword that with God's help I have kept all these years in the scabbard. I have drawn the sword which without victory and without honor I can not sheathe again. You are my guarantee that I can dictate peace to my enemies. Up and at the foes, and down with enemies of Brandenburg\u003c/em\u003e!\"[vi]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eMeanwhile the troops of the AN\u0026amp;MEF after a period of intense training at Palm Island, near the Townsville, sailed for Port Moresby and waited there for the RAN ships who would support them.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e‘On 7 September the force, now including Australia, the cruisers Sydney and HMAS Encounter, the destroyers Parramatta, Warrego and Yarra, and the submarines \u003ca href=\"http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-ae1\"\u003eHMAS AE1\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.navy.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-ae2\"\u003eHMAS AE2\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.navy.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e  sailed for Rabaul.’[vii]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe wireless station on Nauru was quickly captured on  9 September bur two days later when a force of navy men attacked and captured the strongly defended station at\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bita_Paka\"\u003e Bita Paka\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (en.wikipedia.org)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, Australia suffered her first combat casualties of the Great War.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAble Seaman William George Vincent \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/778284\"\u003eWilliams\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/778284)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e who died of wounds that day was the first recorded Australian combat casualty of the Great War, Captain Brian Colden Antill \u003ca href=\"https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P10675788/#biography\"\u003ePockley\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.awm.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e AAMC who died of wounds that day was the first Australian officer killed in the Great War.  Able Seaman John Edward \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/135728\"\u003eWalker\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/135728)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e (served as Courtney) was killed, Able Seaman Henry William \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/778307\"\u003eStreet\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/778307)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e was killed, Able Seaman Robert David \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/778285\"\u003eMoffatt\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/778285)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e died of wounds that day and Lieutenant Commander Charles Bingham \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/778291\"\u003eElwell\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/778291)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e of the  Royal Navy (attached) was killed that day\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe Royal Australian Navy's first submarine HMAS AE1 left Blanche Bay, New Britain accompanied by HMAS Parramatta and disappeared without trace on 14 September. It is believed the AE1 crewed by 35 officers and men of the RAN and RN struck an uncharted reef and sank.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAlthough the overwhelming majority of the infantrymen in the AN\u0026amp;MEF were from New South Wales there were a few from all other states including these from South Australia. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003ePrivate Charles Richard \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/250052\"\u003eDare \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/250052)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eof Edithburgh was working in Sydney as a Tram Guard before he enlisted on 11 August 1914. He served with E Company, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (Tropical Unit and returned to Australia\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003ePrivate Harle Percival \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/105806\"\u003eMontroy \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/105806)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eof Adelaide was a Cook before he enlisted on 11 August 1914. He served with D Company, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (Tropical Unit), and returned to Australia\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003ePrivate Thomas Wilson \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/299878\"\u003eSketheway \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/299878)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eof Adelaide was a Fireman before he enlisted on 11 August 1914. He served with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force and upon his return to Australia enlisted in the AIF. He embarked with the 4th quota of reinforcements for the 13th Battalion and later served with the 12th Machine Gun Company. He returned to Australia on 17 March 1917.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eCorporal Grahame \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/778189\"\u003eBalfour-Ogilvy\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/778189)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e of Dulwich was a Horticulturist before he enlisted as a reinforcement for the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force on 22 May 1916.  He was later initially posted to D Company until he returned to Australia and was discharged in November 1917. He died of a war related illness on 10 January 1921 and is buried in St Lawrence Churchyard, Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, England.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eMajor James Harry Smith \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/155856\"\u003eOlifent \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/155856)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eVD of Glenelg enlisted as a reinforcement for the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force on 1 September 1916. He was later appointed to the position of District Officer and OC of the garrison at Aitape, New Guinea but was returned to Australia on 5 May 1920 and three days later was admitted seriously ill to Cairns, Hosital in Queensland; he died there on 30 May 1920.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe AN\u0026amp;MEF achieved all of their objectives and following the German surrender raised the Union Jack in Rabaul on 13 September 1914. ‘Nadang was occupied on September 24, New Ireland on October 17, Nauru on November 6, the Admiralty and Western Islands on November 19, and the German Solomon Islands on December 9. The A.N.M.E.F. left New Guinea on January 9, 1915, having been relieved by the specially recruited Tropical Force.’[viii]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eIn the process of successfully completing their mission, the AN\u0026amp;MEF achieved the following notable Australian firsts in the Great War. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThey were the first military expeditionary force planned and coordinated by Australia for overseas service.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe first to conduct land operations against an enemy force, first to conduct an amphibious landing on enemy held territory, first to conduct joint operations and the  first  to conduct coalition operations. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe first decorated Australian was Lieutenant Thomas Arthur \u003ca href=\"/explore/people/233341\"\u003eBond \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/people/233341)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDSO, the first combat casualties of the war, the first RAN warship lost, and the first enemy warship sunk.’[ix]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAustralia maintained an occupation force in New Guinea comprised of the 'Special Tropical Force' until the war's end.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eFor further reading  -  \u003ca href=\"https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/australian-naval-and-military-expeditionary-force-100-years\"\u003eAustralian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.awm.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eOur Boys -  \u003ca href=\"http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59300230\"\u003ehttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59300230\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (nla.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[1] Kokopo -  Town in Papua New Guinea\u003cbr\u003e[2] Originally designated Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force (AIEF) by Minister for Defence Senator Millen\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[i] Bean, C E W, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Vol I - Angus \u0026amp; Robertson, 1921, p. 18\u003cbr\u003e[ii] ibid, p. 16\u003cbr\u003e[iii] Kerr G, Lieutenant Commander, RAN -  Before Gallipoli - Australian Operations in 1914 – Royal Australian Navy Website - http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/gallipoli-australian-operations-1914 \u003cbr\u003e[iv] Naval Expeditionary Force. (1914, August 19). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), p. 4.\u003cbr\u003e[v] The European War. (1914, August 21). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 7\u003cbr\u003e[vi] ibid\u003cbr\u003e[vii] Kerr G, Lieutenant Commander, RAN -  Before Gallipoli - Australian Operations in 1914 – Royal Australian Navy Website - http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/gallipoli-australian-operations-1914\u003cbr\u003e[viii] Twentieth Anniversary. (1934, August 18). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 20.\u003cbr\u003e[ix] Source: Kerr G, Lieutenant Commander, RAN -  Before Gallipoli - Australian Operations in 1914 – Royal Australian Navy Website - http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/gallipoli-australian-operations-1914\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eElsa Reuter (c) 2016\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}